Spring Flower & Friend

Dodging spring showers, I’ve managed to get out a few times to get some spring photos. These mud mashing hikes do yield some rewards to honor the extra weight carried by my mud caked boots.

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More Phoenix Flowers and Friends

My Phoenix photos ,from a couple of weeks ago now, continue to hold out hope for some warmer spring weather.  These butterfly buddies and this gorgeous flower is all unknown to me. perhaps some of you Southwest bloggers can help the rest of easterners out. The Desert Botanical Gardens once again served as the photo shoot host.

Butterfly Buddies

Unknown Desert Blooms

Desert Flowers and Friends

It’s been a long winter and it keeps hanging around. With a son in Phoenix over spring break, we packed our bags, grabbed the camera and got out of the house headed for Arizona. It’s been a dream trip for my wife and I and it did not disappoint. Each stop was a highlight.

One of those highlight visits took us to the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix. Truly a delight filled with unique plants and landscapes. We could have spent much more time there.

Finally getting my camera out of the bag after a pretty unused winter, I get to share with you something new to me. The butterfly exhibit was quite enchanting and we were excited to see cactus just beginning to bloom. The time to share spring Flowers and Friends has begun.

Hedgehog Cactus

Queen Butterfly

Yellow Tiger

 

Yellow Tiger Swallowtail on Ironweed

Friday Friend and Floral.

 

Predator & Prey

Predator & Prey

I spent Sunday evening entertained my this insect cat and mouse game in our front flower garden. After watching grasshoppers dine on my wife’s flower pots I was quietly encouraging my resident pest controller to do it’s job. After jockeying for position it struck with the blink of an eye…and missed. It just proves that the predator’s life owns no guarantees.

Insect Cat and Mouse

I guess you could say this is a Friday Friend and Foe Post.

Is it a Bee? or a Wasp or a Fly?

 

Look, Its a …

I don’t really know my way around insect identification since plants were more of a fascination to me growing up. But the wonder of creation has always been my fascination and once you embrace a camera, wonder expands.

I captured this fly, or is it a bee, or maybe a wasp, on Rattlesnake Master at the end of July. Its full of wonder. The prairie in full bloom is a array of wonder. I’m inclined to think its a fly. Eventually I’ll sort it all out, but until then I can behold it’s wonder.

Another Friday Friends and Floral

 

Friday Collage

Purple Toadstool

With a rather unique toadstool in the mix, Friday Friends and Flora becomes Friday Fungus too this week. The Purple Toadstool popped up at one of my favorite dragonfly spots at the Norma Johnson Center wetlands. It made me look twice. I was hoping for colorful dragonflies, but not expecting such a colorful fungus to be found. Its been a soggy week – Toadstool weather – I should have known.

I’ve joined in with the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge this week. Check out the other  unique photo Collages.

Summer Reds

Scattered in the green of summer, remarkable reds please the eye. I hunted for the Canadian Lilly this week along wetland and creek banks. Hiding in the shade, I found several wisely seeking shady ground. I gathered a few other summer reds in the hunt. Bee Balm is self interpreting I suppose. A red squirrel gave a rare pose and the Ruby Meadowhawk dragonflies greeted me by the parking lot, loving summer’s heat.

Tomorrow’s Bloom

Canadian Lilly Twins

Red Squirrel

Bee Balm

Ruby Meadowhawk (female)

Ruby Meadowhawk (male)

Friday Friends and Floral Friday

Green Heron & Elderberry Lace

Green Heron

Green Heron on the Lookout

Elderberry Lace

A rather obscure little pond produces some viewing treasures for that very reason. A Green Heron scouted the pond from the tree tops before flying in to snap up some tadpoles or other delights. Later, it took a gap in the brush for me to look through and spot it on this branch. An Elderberry Bush concealed me with its lacy white crown – a spot to keep an eye on latter this summer. A perfect Friday Friend and Flower combo.

Friday Friends and Flowers

I’m expanding Friday’s theme for the summer as the life cycle peaks. This Azure Bluet Damselfly  left the pond and flew into the woods to hunt and so my capture is along the trail. The meadow flowers are at their peak now. This delicate yellow flower with deeper colored center and heart shaped petals caught my attention hanging out with the daisies.

Soft Meadow Yellow

Azure Bluet